Nanoscale Structuring in Confined Geometries using Atomic Layer Deposition: Conformal Coating and Nanocavity Formation

Philip Ruff, Mercedes Carrillo-Solano, Nils Ulrich, Andrea Hadley, Patrick Kluth, Maria Eugenia Toimil-Molares*, Christina Trautmann, Christian Hess

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    10 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Nanoscale structuring in confined geometries using atomic layer deposition (ALD) is demonstrated for surfaces of nanochannels in track-etched polymer membranes and in mesoporous silica (SBA-15). Suitable process conditions for conformal ALD coating of polymer membranes and SBA-15 with inorganic oxides (SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3) were developed. On the basis of the oxide-coated layers, nanochannels were further structured by a molecular-templated ALD approach, where calixarene macromolecules are covalently attached to the surface and then embedded into an Al2O3 layer. The removal of calixarene by ozone treatment results in 1-2 nm wide surface nanocavities. Surfaces exposed to different process steps are analyzed by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) as well as by X-ray photoelectron and infrared spectroscopy. The proposed nanostructuring process increases the overall surface area, allows controlling the hydrophilicity of the channel surface, and is of interest for studying water and ion transport in confinement.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1147-1171
    Number of pages25
    JournalZeitschrift fur Physikalische Chemie
    Volume232
    Issue number7-8
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 26 Jul 2018

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